Trusted by families. Loved by caregivers.

Your Home Care Aide Options

Here's how to find the right type of in-home care aide for you or your aging loved one.

In-home health care aides perform a variety of functions that do not require medical training and which service both long and short term needs. They can provide much needed respite care to help family members or other volunteers take a break from their caregiving responsibilities. Some of these tasks performed by a home health aide are:

Cooking

Cleaning

Doing laundry

Changing bed linens

Helping with toileting and lifting

Planning meals

Assisting with medications

Wound care and bandaging

Helping with dressing and showering

Driving and transportation assistance

Caring for children if a parent is disabled or too ill

Shopping and running errands

Home Care Aides

Home care aides are generally supervised by a registered nurse or other medical or social services professional. In many cases, home health aides do not have specialized training. Some may have on-the-job training and others may have certification from the National Association for Home Care and Hospice, or a local hospital, community college or health care agency. The following people can perform home health aide services:

All in all, you have many options to meet your family's home-health-aide needs. Work out a plan that meets your needs without overburdening one volunteer. Keep in mind that generally, home care aides do not have medical training. If your elderly loved one needs help with injections, a home care aide may not be suitable. Be sure to ask specifically about training and qualifications as these can vary.

Ronnie Friedland has co-edited three books on parenting and interfaith family life.

Care.com is the world's largest online destination for care.We connect families with great caregivers and caring companies to help you be there for the ones you love.

Care.com does not employ, recommend or endorse any care provider or care seeker nor is it responsible for the conduct of any care provider or care seeker. Care.com provides information and tools to help care seekers and care providers connect and make informed decisions. However, each individual is solely responsible for selecting an appropriate care provider or care seeker for themselves or their families and for complying with all applicable laws in connection with any employment relationship they establish. Care.com does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment or engage in any conduct that requires a professional license.